Chinese: 小活络丹
Pinyin: Xiǎo Huó Luò Dān
Other names: Minor Invigorate the Collaterals Special Pill
Number of ingredients: 6 herbs
Formula category: Formulas that dredge and disperse External Wind
Conditions for which it may be prescribed: Bone spursOsteoarthritisRheumatoid arthritis and two other conditions
- Dispels Wind
- Eliminates Dampness and transforms Phlegm
- Invigorates the Blood
- Removes Stagnation and relieves pain
Contraindications: Because this formula is quite harsh, warming, and drying, it should only be... Because this formula is quite harsh, warming, and drying, it should only be prescribed for patients with a relatively strong constitution. It is contraindicated in those with Yin Deficiency or during pregnancy. see more
Source date: 1107 AD
Source book: Formulary of the Pharmacy Service for Benefiting the People in the Taiping Era
The information provided here is not a replacement for a doctor. You shouldn't use it for the purpose of self-diagnosing or self-medicating but rather so you can have a more informed discussion with a professional TCM practitioner.
Xiao Huo Luo Dan is a 6-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula with Prepared Kusnezoffii Aconite (Zhi Cao Wu) and Prepared Sichuan Aconite (Zhi Chuan Wu) as principal ingredients.
Invented in 1107 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that dredge and disperse External Wind. Its main actions are: 1) dispels Wind and 2) eliminates Dampness and transforms Phlegm .
In Chinese Medicine health conditions are thought to arise due to "disharmonies" in the body as a system. These disharmonies are called "patterns" and the very purpose of herbal formulas is to fight them in order to restore the body's harmony.
In this case Xiao Huo Luo Dan is used by TCM practitioners to fight patterns like Cold invading the Channels joints and muscles, Dampness invading the Channels joints and muscles or Wind invading the Channels joints and muscles. From a Western Medicine standpoint, such patterns can give rise to a range of conditions such as hemiplegia after cerebrovascular accident, rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis for instance.
On this page, after a detailed description of each of the six ingredients in Xiao Huo Luo Dan, we review the patterns and conditions that Xiao Huo Luo Dan helps treat.
The six ingredients in Xiao Huo Luo Dan
Zhi Cao Wu is a king ingredient in Xiao Huo Luo Dan. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
1. Prepared Kusnezoffii Aconite (Zhi Cao Wu)
Zhi Cao Wu is among the strongest herbs in the TCM for warming the Channels and dispersing Wind, Cold, and Dampness. It is acrid, hot, and toxic, expelling Wind, Dampness, and Cold, so as to stop painful obstruction of the muscles and joints, and unbind areas constrained by Phlegm.
Zhi Chuan Wu is a king ingredient in Xiao Huo Luo Dan. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
2. Prepared Sichuan Aconite (Zhi Chuan Wu)
Part used: Processed mother root
Nature: Hot
Meridian affinity: SpleenHeartKidneyLiver
Category: Herbs that dispel Wind and Dampness
Zhi Chuan Wu is among the strongest herbs in the TCM for warming the Channels and dispersing Wind, Cold, and Dampness. It quickly and powerfully warms and unblocks the Channels and drives out Wind, Dampness, and Cold.
Tian Nan Xing is a deputy ingredient in Xiao Huo Luo Dan. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
3. Arisaema (Tian Nan Xing)
Tian Nan Xing is a strongly warming and intensely acrid herb. It enters the Liver Channel and move inside the Channel, so as to eliminate Wind-Phlegm.
Mo Yao is an assistant ingredient in Xiao Huo Luo Dan. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
4. Myrrh (Mo Yao)
Part used: Dried resin of the tree
Nature: Neutral
Taste(s): Bitter
Meridian affinity: SpleenHeartLiver
Category: Herbs that invigorate the Blood
In general Mo Yao's main actions are as follows: "Moves Blood and relieves Stagnation and pain caused by Blood Stagnation. Assists in wound healing."
In the context of Xiao Huo Luo Dan, it is used because it invigorates the Blood and increase the flow in the Channels.
Ru Xiang is an assistant ingredient in Xiao Huo Luo Dan. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
5. Frankincense (Ru Xiang)
Part used: An aromatic resin obtained from boswellia trees
Nature: Warm
Meridian affinity: SpleenHeartLiver
Category: Herbs that invigorate the Blood
In general Ru Xiang's main actions are as follows: "Moves Blood and Qi and relieves pain. Disperses Wind-Damp from the Meridians and relaxes the sinews. Reduces swelling and aids in wound healing."
In the context of Xiao Huo Luo Dan, it is used because it invigorates the Blood and increase the flow in the Channels.
Di Long is an assistant ingredient in Xiao Huo Luo Dan. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
6. Earthworms (Di Long)
Part used: Dried body of the worm
Nature: Cold
Taste(s): Salty
Meridian affinity: BladderSpleenLiver
Category: Herbs that pacify Internal Liver Wind and stop Tremors
Di Long is salty and cooling. It clears Heat, unblocks, and promotes movement in the Channels and collaterals. Although this is a cooling substance, the many warming herbs in this formula allow its piercing nature to be exploited here to treat Cold Painful Obstruction.
Conditions and patterns for which Xiao Huo Luo Dan may be prescribed
It's important to remember that herbal formulas are meant to treat patterns, not "diseases" as understood in Western Medicine. According to Chinese Medicine patterns, which are disruptions to the body as a system, are the underlying root cause for diseases and conditions.
As such Xiao Huo Luo Dan is used by TCM practitioners to treat four different patterns which we describe below.
But before we delve into these patterns here is an overview of the Western conditions they're commonly associated with:
Hemiplegia after cerebrovascular accident Rheumatoid arthritis Osteoarthritis Bone spurs Peripheral nervous disorder
Again it wouldn't be correct to say "Xiao Huo Luo Dan treats hemiplegia after cerebrovascular accident" for instance. Rather, Xiao Huo Luo Dan is used to treat patterns that are sometimes the root cause behind hemiplegia after cerebrovascular accident.
Now let's look at the four patterns commonly treated with Xiao Huo Luo Dan.
'Cold' as a body pattern in Chinese Medicine is one of the so-called "Eight Principles". Learn more about Cold pattern in Chinese Medicine
Cold invading the Channels joints and muscles
Pulse type(s): Tight (Jin), Floating (Fu)
Symptoms: Joint pain Stiff neck Joint stiff Swollen joints Pain in the muscles Numbness of the muscles
Xiao Huo Luo Dan is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Cold invading the Channels joints and muscles. This pattern leads to symptoms such as joint pain, joint stiff, pain in the muscles and swollen joints. Patients with Cold invading the Channels joints and muscles typically exhibit tight (Jin) or floating (Fu) pulses.
It is a type of the Painful Obstruction Syndrome (Bi Syndrome 痹证). The Chinese name is called Tong Bi or Han Bi (痛痹 / 寒痹).
The Defensive Qi can be penetrated by external Pernicious Influences when the patients is in poor health. When the Cold invades the Channels and joints and settles there, it... read more about Cold invading the Channels joints and muscles
Dampness is one of the pathogenic factors in Chinese Medicine. Learn more about Dampness in Chinese Medicine
Dampness invading the Channels joints and muscles
Pulse type(s): Slow (Chi), Soggy (Ru)
Symptoms: Joint pain Joint stiff Heavy joint Swollen joints Numbness in the skin Numbness in the muscles
Xiao Huo Luo Dan is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Dampness invading the Channels joints and muscles. This pattern leads to symptoms such as joint pain, joint stiff, swollen joints and numbness in the skin. Patients with Dampness invading the Channels joints and muscles typically exhibit slow (Chi) or soggy (Ru) pulses.
It is a type of the Painful Obstruction Syndrome (Bi Syndrome 痹证). The Chinese name is called Shi Bi or Zhe Bi (湿痹 / 着痹).
The most typical manifestation of the pattern are the swollen, pain and numbness of the joints or muscles. These conditions get worse during raining weather or when the... read more about Dampness invading the Channels joints and muscles
Wind is one of the pathogenic factors in Chinese Medicine. Learn more about Wind in Chinese Medicine
Wind invading the Channels joints and muscles
Pulse type(s): Floating (Fu)
Symptoms: Fever Joints pain Aversion to wind
Xiao Huo Luo Dan is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Wind invading the Channels joints and muscles. This pattern leads to symptoms such as joints pain, aversion to wind and fever. Patients with Wind invading the Channels joints and muscles typically exhibit floating (Fu) pulses.
It is a type of the Painful Obstruction Syndrome (Bi Syndrome 痹证). The Chinese name is called Xing Bi or Feng Bi (行痹 / 风痹).
This patter is similar to Cold invading the channels and joints. Both patterns evolve joints pain and stiffness, but the pain with Cold mostly occurs in one single joint,... read more about Wind invading the Channels joints and muscles
Painful Obstruction
Pulse type(s): Tight (Jin), Wiry (Xian)
Symptoms: Knee pain Elbow pain Ankle pain Joint pain Wrist pain Stiff neck Lumbar pain Joint stiff Stiff ankle Stiff wrist Muscle pain Shoulder pain Tenosynovitis Knee stiffness Swollen joints Elbow stiffness Tendonitis wrist Shoulder stiffness Lumbar spine stiffness Numbness in the muscles De quervain's tenosynovitis
Xiao Huo Luo Dan is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Painful Obstruction. This pattern leads to symptoms such as lumbar pain, shoulder pain, knee pain and elbow pain. Patients with Painful Obstruction typically exhibit tight (Jin) or wiry (Xian) pulses.
Painful Obstruction Syndrome is also called Bi Symdrome (Bi Zheng). 'Bi' means Stagnation or blockage in Chinese. It occurs mainly due to Exterior Pernicious Factors invasion such as Wind, Cold, Dampness or Heat.
There are four types of Painful Obstruction Syndrome patterns according to the... read more about Painful Obstruction
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